Like Pullin Teeth

Speaking of which, the whole left side of my lower jaw hurts, despite a dentist's assurance that there's nothing wrong on that side. Dammit. And I missed my brand new cellphone when I did the laundery and...yeah. And the blow drier didn't work.

I took a weekly rent, but kept searching for loads. I found out that my company's safety rating blackballs me with a few major brokers, and I had to miss some really good loads because of it.

The reason I took the weekly is that it quickly became apparant to me that I'd have to reaqch farther ahead in time for a load out in order to actually have a chance at it. After finding out that Schneider and JB Hunt won't deal with me, in deperation I reached out to the 29th for a BNSF load out of Oklahoma, going to Massa...that eastern state.

It's over a 500-mile deadhead for a 45,000 lb. load, but I did some math and then made the call. It pays enough to net me 800 bucks or so, despite the weight and deadhead, so I grabbed it. Part of this is the fact that I had the route mapped mentally and knew that I'd be going by certain fuel stops where I could save quite a bit over the national average, and arrive at the reciever with maybe half a tank.

That means I could have some range to escape that high-priced diesel-zone before needing fuel again. (Apologies if you are bored--I'm just being honest about how I must think in order to stay afloat. On the off-chance another driver who's in trouble reads this, it will be of genuine benefit to them.)

Another factor is that I can easily route myself around the bulk of the tolls without burning extra fuel and canceling the savings. (I go 6.3 miles out of route and it costs over two bucks).

Another factor is that it's a nice, comfortable load which I'll enjoy running. And yet another is the fact that I should be able to get a load back out of that region.

The drawback is that Bear Logistics dominates that region, and they won't deal with my company, either. If neccessary, I might well look up and call the area paper mills fishing for a load myself---if there aren't contractual or procedural blocks preventing that.

However, once I have the load details and everything is confirmed, I'll immediately start searching ahead of 1/2, when I deliver. That's farther ahead than even most carriers look. With a little luck, I can have myself preplanned out of there (and be looking ahead to where that load will go).

Yet another factor is the fact that that's on the coast, so I have a good chance of a long load.

Another is the fact that I can go right by the terminal and collect my mail--including a computer plug I had ordered.

Assuming that when I call Wayne again he gives me the load specs and it's locked-down, I can relax somewhat. I'm paid through friday the 26th, so I can check out and cover the 500-mile deadhead on saturday, and get another reset in before loading on monday.

Meanwhile, I can use this time to dig up a load back out of there before the pihrannas get it first, and possibly establish a rythm which will deliver more miles consistantly.

I'll also continue my new online poker strategy. While I really like the sit-and-go tournaments, I'm frustrated by how often idiots win them. By reraising preflop with a pair of sixes. By raising with four spades before the turn (a 25% chance)--and getting it about half the time. By raising an A3 in early position in Omaha Hi-Lo and flopping 245.

But I won in Casinos. In cash games. So I'm fooling around with plain old regular limit games, and doing much better in limit Hold 'Em. It doesn't seem to be as rigged, for some reason. I mean, trips aren't very common, nor are the higher hands. A single pair will often win. If you raise AK suited, you win the hand about as often as you're supposed to.

Limit games are the way to play, unless you're a millionaire. If you play a no-limit or even pot-limit game for any starting stakes, you have to have the waddage to call rich idiots who try to buy every pot.

Limit does enable river rats to call when they should fold, but this is better overall, because they cough up more money that way. And it's not expensive. I can fold all my crap, and don't worry about bullies stealing my blinds. The blinds don't go up--they're fixed. I can get eroded down quite a bit and still come back, as long as I keep my cool and play smart.

I find that players tend to get a bead on me over time, so if I raise they won't call, and if I call a raise they always suspect I'm trapping them. They fear me. So I must either switch tables, or else do some change-ups with semi-bluffs and stuff.

I also mean to check out limit Omaha (not Hi-Lo). This is a more complex game, and I think I'd do better at it. It's less perdictable, however. The difference is, I'm not a Bingo player, which gives me an advantage. I might win fewer pots, but more people will call me, and I'll win more.

More people can play Hold 'Em well than Omaha. If 40% of the Hold 'Em players are at least competant, I'll bet it's less than 25% of the limit Omaha players. It's easy to miscalculate, and even easier NOT to fold a flush when you should.

My cash game has improved as I've paid more attention to pot odds. I now lay down decent cards often to a raise early, when it costs me little or nothing. I call or raise more often with a lot of money on the table. That's leverage, and risk-to-reward.

I have no problem with dumbasses thinking I'm a mouse because I fold a lot. Some of these guys raise every time I have the big blind or am islotated with them. "I'll just push him and he'll fold". Let them take the nickels and dimes, and show me how they play. When I call, they think it's just because I'm frustrated, and they bet at me again. That's when I whack them--and sometimes they even raise me right back! "He's a pussy he HAS to fold if I just keep hitting him!" Then it's too late.

I hate bullies, in every form. A poker bully is generally too stupid to win any other way.

...sorry.

Well okbye.